Garment tapering attachment for knitting machines



' Jan. 28, 1936. J. A. FIRSCHING GARMENT TAPERING ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING MACHINES 2 snees sneet 1 Filed April 4) 1934 .m@ Q\ QR R O m :U A g G an we 0m. 9w hm em: 5 v e H0 w a 2.. Y B an an m .M NN FNQN. NM r U1\\\ mm ON n E Q 2 M \\Q %Q QQ. k

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J. A. FIRSCHING 2,029,227 GARMENT TAPEHING ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 4; 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 W I 58 /4 so 'Iag 5 20 i2 5 Patented Jan. 1936 UNITED STATES GARMENT TAPERING ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING MACHINES Joseph A. Firsching, Utica, N. Y., assignor to Scott & Williams, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Massachusetts Application April 4, 1934, Serial No. 718,958

14 Claims. My invention relates to a garment tapering '7 attachment for knitting machines and I declare the following to be a full, clear, concise and exact description thereof suflicient to enable anyone skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the.

accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the specification.

The object of the invention is to provide a device to be attached to a knitting machine, whereby to effect a gradual decrease or increase in thecircumference of tubular knitted fabric. This attachment is used particularly on those knitting machines which supply a rubberized yarn or rubber thread in between the needles to efiect a stretchable fabric. v

In the present'device the attachment is provided with means, whereby to gradually decrease thefeeding of the rubberized yarn or rubber thread, whereby to contract the diameter of tubular fabric progressively towards a predetermined limit or it can increase the feeding ofthe rubberized yarn or rubber thread gradually to enlarge the tubular fabric.

Furthermore the attachment is provided with means for speeding up the decrease or increase in feeding of the rubber yarn, whereby to effect a more or less abrupt taper in the tubular fabric.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of a tubular fabric showing the diverging and converging portions thereof efiected by the attachment to the knitting machine.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation looking in the opposite direction to that of Fig. 1 showing parts in section of the attachment and its connection with the knitting machine, which is broken away.

" Fig. 4 is a detailed view showing end elevation of the vertical movable plate employed and immediate parts.

Fig. 5 is a detailedenlarged view showing a perspective of a bracket a trip member fulcrumed thereto and other related parts.

Fig. 6 is a detailed enlarged view showing parts in full andv parts in section of the movable plate and immediate parts illustrated in Fig. 4.

Fig. '7 is a detailed enlarged view showing a perspective of certain plates employed.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the attachment is connected to a circular dial knitting machine in which is the cylinder I hold- 5 ing the vertical knitting machine needles 2 and dial 3 holding the horizontal knitting machine needles 4. Cylinder l and dial 3 are stationary and the yarn feeders are caused to move around said needles 2 and 4 in the direction of the arrow 10 on Fig. l.

The attachment feeds a rubberized yarn 5 in between said needles-2 and 4. It embodies a roller Ill over which the rubberized yarn 5 travels' and by which it is fed more or less freely in accordance with its position on said roller Ill.

Roller I0 is held in position by a bracket II which has an upstanding bearing part I2 at one end and another l3 at the other. Roller Ill has trunnion or hearing member M at one end and 20 is engaged by the tapering part l5 of a pintle l6 at the other. Pintel I6 is mounted in a suit able bearing in part l3 of bracket ll.

Bracket ll supports beneath roller Ill a square shaped bar 20 which is attached, so as to leave 5 space therebeneath at 2|. A sliding block 22 having an open recess 23 to fit bar 20 is mounted on bar 20.

The means for moving block 22 back and forth on bar 20 embodies a lever 25, which is connected 3 to block 22 by means of a link 26 pivoted at 21 .to'block 22 and at 28 to lever 25'. Lever 25 is fulcrumed at 3| to auxiliary bracket 32 and is slotted at 33 for the projection of laterally projecting adjustable pivot 34. Pivot 34 is mounted 35 in vertically movable plate 35 by having a reduced screw threaded end thereof projected through an elongated aperture 36 in the plate 35 and held in given position by a nut 31. The elongated aperture 36 allows for the horizontal adjustment of said pivot 34, whereby to vary the amount of swing of lever 25. Auxiliary bracket 32 is attached in a permanent manner to the aperture in shelf 5|. Its lower end is enlarged at 52. Spokes 53 are mounted in part 52 and radiate therefrom for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

Screw 50 projects upward through a screw threaded aperture in horizontal shelf 54 formed integral with plate 35. The upper end of screw 50 is reduced and has a bearing in horizontal shelf 55 formed integral with auxiliary bracket 32,

whereby the turning of screw 50 will cause shelf 54 and plate 35 integral therewith to travel on said screw 50 upwards or downwards in accord- I ical cooperating feeding member 51 will cooperate-s.

ance with the direction in which screw 50 is turned, whereas saidscrew 50 will turn but not move longitudinally. 7

Auxiliary bracket 32 is fastened to revolving base of the knitting machine by bracket 51 that is made integral with auxiliary sleeve 48% and bracket-II and is bolted at 58 to said base 55.

The means for turning screw 50 to move plate 35 upwards or downwards, whereby to'control the throw of lever 25 contemplates levers and 5|. Levers-50 and 5| are fulcrumed on ashaft 52 carried inbeari'ngs in arms 53, 53 that are bolted or otherwise fastened to the under stationary'surface of the knitting machine. The free ends of levers 50 and 5| have formed integral therewith upstanding lugs 54 and 55 respectively which are adapted to engage and hold stationary spokes 53 for short intervals as the attachment moves past the stationary levers 50 and 5| Lugs 54, 55 engage spokes 53 upon opposite sides of enlarged part 52 of screw 50 when severally rocked upward into engaging-position as revolving base 55 of the knitting machine turns around.

When lug 54 of lever 50 is rocked upward into engaging position with spokes 53 screw 50 will be turned to move plate 35 upward and thereby through pivot 34 rock lever '25 upward to slide block 22 upward or towards the right on bar 20 in'Fig. 1. This in turn will move rubberized yarn 5 upward on roller I0 or into that position where V a larger diameter of the surface of revolving conwith roller I0 to feed more rubberized yarn 5 to the knitting machine to increase thediameter of tubular fabric 58. Inasmuch as block 22 moves slowly the increase or taper in the garment 53 will be gradual as shown in Fig. 2. The degreeor pitch of said taper, however, can be regulated by adjusting pivot 34 to the right or left in slot 30 of plate 35i When lug 55 of lever 5| is rocked upwards'the turning of screw 50 will be in the opposite direction to lower plate 35 and thereby through the connecting members above described, lower block .22 ormoveittotheleftinFigJtocarryrubbe'rized yarn 5 to a smaller diameter of the surface of revolving conical cooperating feeding member 51; whereby to decrease the diameter.

of the tubular fabric 69. Likewise the degree of pitch of'the taper can be regulated by moving adjustable pivot 34 to theright or left as above described.

The means for rocking levers 50 and 5| at determined intervals embodies rock members II Q and II respectively. Rock members I0 and II are fulcrumed upon shaft 72 having bearings on stationary arms 53, 53 attached to the stationary part of the knitting machine as above described. Rock members I0 and II are connected to rock levers 50 and 5| respectively by yielding adjustable connecting links 13,13.

Each of the rock me bers 10 and II has a depending lug or cam I4 adapted to make con tact at predetermined intervals with pattern chains l5, 15 respectively. Pattern chains 15, "I5 run upon sprockets I1, .11 and carry elevations I8 at given positions to actuate said rock mem-'- bers 10 and II at the proper intervals.

Conical member 51 which cooperates with cylinder I0 in feeding rubberized yarn 5 is mounted to revolve with shaft that is carried in sleeve 48 attached by arm 8| to bracket-II. Arm 8| is formed integral with bracket II. A toothed or 'notched wheel 82 is fastened to the lower end of shaft 80. It is caused to revolve by the engagement of its peripheral teeth 83 with corresponfi The means for automatically arresting or stopping the tuming of the screw 50 beyond a given or predetermined limit to prevent the breaking of contiguous'parts, embodies an arm 35 supported in a horizontal position by bracket 81 attached by screws or otherwise to the lateral 'surface of vertically movable plate 35. Ann 85 is clamped to bracket 81 by screw 81a. or otherwise ing teeth 84 formed on the lateral wall of cyli'nder I0 which is stationary as above mentioned.

fastened. It is bent at right angles at 88. Its

to rotate latch I00 hereinafter described, whereas hook is adapted to engage stud 91 projecting from the opposite part of lower end 92 of trip member 93 to rotate latch I00.

Rotatable latch I00 is pivoted at IM to upto slide in bracket 95. The lower end of stop member I05 is formed at right angles at I05. Its

free end I01 is curved downward and lies justabove shifting ring IIO. Shifting ring 0 is provided with upstanding elevations III.

standing bracket 95. It engages a slot I03 formed in vertically slidingstop member I05, mounted When trip member 93 is rocked on its fulcrum 94 by the engagement of either of the hooks 89 or 90 with studs 9| or 91 respectively projecting laterally therefrom, it will rock latch'member I00 from slot I03 in stop member I 05, which will thereupon fall downward under force of its own weight or gravity and cause its end I01 to engage with one of the elevations I II of shifting ring I I0. Ring 0 will thereupon be shifted to stop the knitting machine by well known mechanism.

The operation of the attachment is effected by throwing into gear the pattern chains 15, I5 at the proper intervals. If it is desirable to gradually increase the diameter of tubular fabric 58, as shown between lines 5 and I, Fig. 2,

pattern chain 15 will be actuated to rock member I0, and lever 50 connected thereto, whereby tobring lug 64 up into the path and on the outer side of spokes 53.

' When'the'attachment moves therepast, lug 54 will engage one of the spokes 53 and thereby turn screw 50 a partial turn to the left to move 5 upwards on roller I towards a larger circumference of cooperating conical feeding member 61, whereby to eflect an increase of feeding of rubberized yarn 5. When the tubular fabric 08 has been increased to a predetermined diameter, the elevations I8 on pattern chain 15 which are arranged to conform with this predetermined diameter of tubular fabric 68 from line I I to line I I6 as indicated in Fig. 2 will have passed by depending lug or cam I4 on rock member I0 and thereby allow rock member I0 to turn counterclockwise on its fulcrum 12 under weight of its end I0, whereby its opposite end will through its connection by means of adjustable yielding link 13 rock cooperating lever 60 to lower lug 04 thereon out of the path of spokes 53 of screw 50. The knitting machine will thereupon knit a length of uniform diameter as shown between lines 6 and In, Fig. 2.

In the event lug 64 has not been lowered out of the path of spokes-53 when the screw 50 has reached near its upper limit, the automatic stop mechanisms heretofore described will cause hook 90 which has'been carried upward with arm 86 simultaneously with plate 35 to make contact with stud 91, whereby to rock trip member 92.-

The rocking of'member 92 will cause its upper end to turn latch I00 on its fulcrum IM and.

thereby push said latch I00 free from slot I03 in sliding stop member I05. Stop member I05 will thereupon fall downward under force of gravity, whereby its free end I01 will lie in the path of one of the elevations III of shifting stop ring H0, whereby to stop the knitting machine.

In the event, however, that it is desirable to reverse the. taper on the tubular knitted fabric 58 or to gradually decrease the diameter thereof as shown between lines I" and H8, Fig. 2, pattern chain I6 will be actuated to operate member II and rock lever 61 to thereby bring lug 05 thereon into the path of spokes 53. When the attachment passes lug 65 one of the spokes 53 will engage with lug 65 and thereby cause screw 50 to turn to the right, in Fig. 1, whereupon plate 35 will travel downwards with a corresponding movement of lever 25 and the lowering or moving to the left of block 22 and yarn guide 42, whereby to move the rubberized yarn 5 towards a smaller diameter of conical member 61 to lessen the feed of said yarn 5, which will decrease the diameter of tubular fabric 68.

When screw 4| has reached nearly its lower limit, the stop mechanism will automatically act to stop the knitting machine, in the event that any unforeseen diiiiculties arise to prevent the normal operation of the yarn feeding mechanism hereinabove described, otherwise the knitting machine will knit the normal. stitch.

It will be observed that the conical feeding member 6! is rotated, whereby to feed the yarn 5 over roller. I0 by the engagement of teeth 83 of wheel 82 with the teeth 84 on the wall of cylinder I as above explained.

Furthermore, the amount of taper shown in Fig. 2 can be made more or less gradual by adjusting-pivot 34 in slot36 of plate 35, whereby to control the amount of swing of lever 25.

The extent of taper can be regulated by adjusting plate 35 prior to actuating the pattern chains lI5a. which is of feed for the thread.

' l5, 16 by means of an indicator attached to the end surface of auxiliary bracket 32. The lower edge of shelf 55 will be set with the lower edge of the indicator Ilia to predetermine the extent of the taper.

Member 39 is made adjustable on plate 30 by a bolt and slot arrangement.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. In a garment tapering attaclnnent fora knitting machine, a rollerfor feeding yarn to a knitting machine, a conical member cooperating withsaid roller to aid in feeding said yarn, means for. moving said yamrelative to said roller, whereby to control the rate of feed of said yarn and means connected with said attachment to automatically stop the knitting at predetermined rates of feed of said yarns. v

2. In a garment tapering attachment for a knitting machine, a cylindrical roller, a, conical member cooperating with said roller, 9. member for moving a thread relative to said roller and conical member, whereby to regulate the rate of feed of said thread to the knitting machine, a lever having a fixed fulcrum for operating said member, a reciprocating member for operating said lever, means adjustably connecting said reciprocating member and lever for varying the operation of said lever by said reciprocating member, a screw member for operating said reciprocating member and means for moving said screw member at predetermineddntervais, whereby to gradually increase or decrease the feeding of said yarn to knitting machine.

1. 3. In a knitting machine, rotating means for feeding a thread to said machine at rates throughout a predetermined range, means for shifting the thread with respect to said'rotating means to vary the rate of feeding the thread and machine stopping means operated by said thread shifting means upon movement of said thread shifting means to feed the thread at a rate outside the predetermined range.

4. In a. knitting machine, thread feedin means, means for shifting the thread with respect to said thread feeding means to vary the rate of feeding termined range and machine stopp n means operated by said thread shifting means upon shifting of said thread to feed the thread at a rate outside the predetermined range.

5. In a knitting machine, rotating means for feeding a thread to said machine, a guide feeding the thread to said rotating means, a lever for shifting said guide with respect to said rotating means, means for operating said lever and machine stopping means operated by said lever operating means.

6. In a knitting machine, a thread to said machine,.means to vary the rateof feed of the thread throughout a predetermined range and machine. stopping means 1 operated by said feed varying means upon operthe thread throughout a predemeans for feeding J 8. In a knitting machine, for feeding .a

thread to said machine, means to vary the rate of feed of the thread, abutments movably mounted on said machine, a stop member for engaging said 'abutments carried by a moving part of the machine, means holding said stop member from engaging withsaidabutments andmeans operated by said feed varying means for releasing said stop member to engage an abutment. v

9. In a knitting machine, means for feedinga thread to said machine, means for automatically adjusting said thread feeding means for feeding the thread at varying rates within a predetermined range andmeans automatically stopping said machine upon adjustment of said thread feeding means to feed the thread at arate outside the predetermined range.

10. In a knitting machine, thread feeding means :for positively feeding a thread for the machine at varying rates within a predetermined range,

i means for varying the range of the rate for feeding the thread and automatically operating machine stopping n'ieans operative to stop the ma chine upon a variation of the rate of; feed of the thread by said thread feeding means to a rate outside the predetermined range.

11. In a knitting machine, thread feeding means for positively feeding a thread, means for shifting the thread with respect tosaid thread feeding means for periodically varying therate of feed ofthe thread throlmhout a predetermined range and means for stopping the machineoprange.

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erated bysaid thread shifting means upon operation of said shifting-means to shift the thread to feed at a rate outside the predetermined range.

- 12. In a knitting machine, thread feeding means for positively feeding a thread, means for shifting the thread withrespect to said thread feeding means for periodically varying the rate of feed of the thread throughout a predetermined range, means for varying the range of the rate of feed of the thread, and machine stopping means operated by said thread shifting means upon operation of said thread shiftingmeans to shift the thread to feed at a rate outside the predetermined range.

13. In a knitting machine, means for feeding a thread to said machine, means for adjusting said thread feeding means for feeding the thread at rates within a predetermined range and means for stopping said machine by movement of said, thread feeding means tofeed the thread at a rate .20 outside the predetermined range. v 14. In a knitting machine, thread feeding means for positively feeding a thread for the machine at rates within a predetermined range, means for varying the predetermined range of the rate for feeding the thread and machine stopping means operated to stop the machine by movement of the threadfeeding means to vary the rate of feed of I the thread to a rate outside the predetermined Jose-PH A. mscnmq. 

